Coming soon: A faster Firefox for Linux users

Linux users' proverbial cup is already overflowing this spring thanks to several recent coups for the open source operating system. Just last week, however, more good news arrived for users of the free software in the form of an announcement from Mozilla that Firefox has been given a huge speed boost on Linux.

Specifically, despite several failed attempts in the past, a group of Mozilla developers has succeeded in getting the open source browser's Linux builds to compile with version 4.5 of GCC, or the GNU Compiler Collection.

"This means we are finally using a more modern toolchain, opening opportunities for things such as static analysis," Hommey explained. "This also means we are now producing a faster Firefox, now much closer to the Windows builds on the same hardware on various performance tests."

Though the feature is not slated to appear officially until Firefox 6, the newly improved builds should work on older Linux platforms as well, including Red Hat and CentOS 5, Hommey noted. The main thing that's required is that they come with the GNU standard libstdc++ library from GCC 4.1, he added.

First Firefox 5 Beta Build

Following the wildly successful debut of Firefox 4 in March, the new browser just exceeded 10 percent market share for the first time this past weekend, according to fresh data from StatCounter. Still ahead of Firefox 4 are just Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 and Mozilla's own Firefox 3.6, according to StatCounter's data.

The final release of Firefox 5 is due on June 21, likely followed by Firefox 6 in mid-August.

It's been noticeable to Linux users for some time now that Firefox didn't perform as well there as it did on Windows. It's great to see Mozilla address the issue and reaffirm its commitment to this growing segment of the market.

The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.

My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.

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